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Friday, 21 August 2015

Throne of Skulls Game 3: Renegades vs Steel host

My third
game of the first day and my renegades face an imposing force, a
Steel Host Formation. As the event is based around armoured forces
this army fits the bill perfectly, and I did think a few people might
take an army like this. It doesn't mean I am prepared to face it
though, but on the up side we are fighting on the Vraks table, so its
fluffy, renegades vs guard. The mission for this game is cloak and
shadows with hammer and anvil deployment. For my previous games you
can click to see Game 1 and Game 2.

For this
game its cloak and shadows, so 3 objectives which are hidden from
each other, with hammer and anvil deployment. Rolling for deployment
I win the roll and select to deploy first. In the left of my
deployment zone I have a rather large ruin quite close to the front
of my deployment zone so I place the medusa inside of it to get in
range. On the far right I place the plaguebearers to move up and
wreck any tanks they come across. In the centre I place a soul
grinder supported by a unit of infantry. On the left the other large
blob of infantry deploy. At the very back of the left the battle
tanks deploy so they will likely be able to target something, but I
don't expect them to do much this game. My commander goes on top of a
ruin ready to get his lascannon to destroy some tanks. Both chimera
deploy on the left ready to go flat out up the flank and get their
melta guns into range. I place a soul grinder and unit of nurglings
in deep strike reserve.

The tanks
don't have much room to deploy so he places his vanquishers opposite
my battle tanks at the very back of his deployment. He also places
the annihilators with them to ensure he blows my tanks apart. With no
real targets the hydra deploys in the centre with no real line of
sight. On the right at the back, the commander and exterminators are
deployed.

Night
Fight: No

Steal the
initiative: No

The
Battle

Renegades
turn 1

With his
army at the back of his deployment zone I have no choice other than
to move straight at him as fast as possible. All of my infantry move
up while the two chimera transports go 12 inches straight up the left
flank. In the centre the soul grinder and zombies shuffle up.

Shooting
phase and the infantry run for the objectives. Battle cannon fire
from the battle tanks targets the vanquishers and annihilators and
manages to take off a couple of hull points from each unit. Lascannon
fire from the commander hits the punisher tank and causes a shaken
result. Both chimeras go flat out.

Score:
Objective 5, Objective 5

Renegades:
2 – Steal Host: 0

Steal
Host turn 1

With out
wanting to move closer to my ranks the tanks shuffle around a little
to get better lines of sight, except for the command unit which moves
closer to get the punisher cannon in range.

Despite
being shaken, the command tank fires everything it has at the
plaguebearers and brings a few down, the plasma shots from the
executioner kill off a few more, for a total of 5. However one of the
plasma cannons overheats and takes a hull point off the tank.
Exterminators fire everything at the infantry on the right and manage
to kill off all 20 men in a single shooting phase with ease, each
tank does put out 13 shots, and with preferred enemy thanks to the
commander, that's a lot of pain. Training their lascannons on one of
the chimeras the annihilators explode the chimera and the troops
inside run for it.

End of
the turn and all of the tanks pass their it will not die rolls. Damn.

Score:
First Blood

Renegades:
2 – Steal Host: 1

Renegades
turn 2

There is
still very little I can do as he out ranges me greatly but in from
reserve a soul grinder comes in and deep strikes in on the right hand
side next to the command unit. The infantry move up again while the
last chimera goes up. The running infantry rally and move towards the
objective in the centre.

Again the
battle tanks shoot at the vanquishers and manage to get a couple of
glancing hits. The demolisher is in range this time and manages to
shoot at the command unit and takes a hull point off the extra tank I
the unit. Under orders from the commander, the lascannon in his unit
follows suit and hits the other tank in the command tank unit and
takes it down to 1 hull point. Newly summoned the soul grinder
phlegms at the command tank unit and wrecks the tank. With the melta
guns in range of one of the tanks, shooting from the back hatch both
of them miss.

Score:
ascendency (1)

Renegades:
3 – Steal Host: 1

Steal
Host turn 2

With a
soul grinder in his lines, my opponent is forced to move this turn.
The annihilators move forwards to allow the vanquishers room to move
and face the daemon engine. To make sure it dies the exterminators
also move to see its side armour.

Again
overkill, but the annihilators shoot at a chimera and again explode
it killing half of the troops and causing them to run. Looking like
he is changing his plan, the exterminators shoot at the plaguebearers
and just mangle the unit reducing them to the herald and 5 guys. That
was very painful. Vanquishers then target the soul grinder on his
flank and only get a single penetrating hit past his daemon save, and
blows his claw off. He's alive but far less dangerous. The commander
shoots trying to finish off the daemons but some how only kills off 3
more.

Score:
Nothing

Renegades:
3 – Steal Host: 1

Renegades
turn 3

Nurglings
deep strike in next to an objective in my back field as they can't do
anything else this turn of use. His claw might be destroyed but with
the soul grinder being strength 6, he can still try and damage the
command tank. I fail to rally the running troops. The rest of my
force moves up grabbing objectives and getting closer to his tanks.
The herald and few daemons move to see the command tank but mainly
stay hidden.

Psychic
phase and the herald casts smite on the warlord tank but it can't do
any damage, being strength 4.

Again
battle cannon shots target the leman russ tanks opposite them but
fail to do any damage. Shooting into the warlords side armour, both
soul grinders shoot everything they have at it and take a single hull
point off it. In a rather risky move the medusa tries to take it out,
and it locks on thank god, but only shakes it, but its on a single
hull point. I try to take it out with the demolisher but the shot
scatters.

Assault
from the soul grinder crashes into the command tank and the hammer of
wrath attack is enough to wreck it, gaining slay the warlord and
stopping the other tanks from having preferred enemy. But I will
likely lose the grinder this turn.

Score:
Harness the warp, objective 5, objective 3, slay the warlord

Renegades:
7 – Steal Host: 1

Steal
Host turn 3

With the
soul grinder exposed, the exterminators get into his rear and get
ready to destroy him. On the left the tanks shuffle back as they are
getting close to the infantry.

Shooting
from the vanquishers explodes the demolisher with ease as the
exterminators rip the soul grinder to bits wrecking it. With no real
tanks in range the annihilators just target the infantry in front of
them and kill about 6, so nothing too bad for me.

Again at
the end of the turn he passes almost all of the it will not die
rolls.

Score:
Hold the line

Renegades:
7 – Steal Host: 2

Renegades
turn 4

Moving
though the cover of woods the remaining soul grinder gets into charge
range of the annihilators while the infantry does just the same. The
zombies waddle up while the running troops still bolt for it unable
to rally.

Unfortunately
the medusa is out of range so it can't fire. The lascannon from the
command targets the exterminators but fails to do any damage. Again
battle cannon fire does nothing.

Assault
phase and the infantry charge into the annihilators and the soul
grinder attempts to follow but stumbles in the woods and fails the
charge. All of the krack grenades get thrown onto the tanks but only
a single one gets wrecked and I take a single hull point off another.

Score:
Objective 1

Renegades:
8 – Steal Host: 2

Steal
Host turn 4

Turning
to face the new threats, the exterminators face the zombies ready to
remove them from the table. Moving back the annihilators reverse and
avoid the infantry.

Vanquishers
target my battle tanks and explode one. Firing all of their
autocannons, the exterminators shoot the zombies and kill off the few
that they can see. More over kill as the annihilators kill a hand
full of infantry.

Score:
Objective 6

Renegades:
8 – Steal Host: 3

Renegades
turn 5

Stomping
out of the woods the soul grinder gets very close to the annihilators
while the infantry follow suit, not wanting them to escape this time.

Again the
lascannon misses its mark, and the Medusa is out of range.

This time
the soul grinder makes combat with the tank while the infantry swarm
around its feet. The infantry wreck one of them and the other is
exploded by the grinder.

Score:
Objective 4

Renegades:
9 – Steal Host: 3

Steal
Host turn 5

No real
movement apart from the hydra moving up.

Vanquisher
squadron targets the soul grinder and blows it legs off while the
exterminators kill off the infantry in his lines.

Score:
Nothing

Renegades:
9 – Steal Host: 3

We roll
to see if the game carries on...

Renegades
turn 6

I can't
really do anything as my infantry is none existent. I just hold on
objectives.

Steal
Host turn 6

He kills
off the soul grinder.

End of
Game

Renegades:
9 – Steal Host: 3

Post-Battle

While I
don't blame my opponent for how he played, as tactically it made
sense to wait at the back of the table and wait for me. He out ranged
me and had superior fire power so he did everything right in theory.
However this is mealstrom of war and the cards aren't always kind.
You need to be able to move about and grab objectives, not just kill
the enemy. All game I just ran at him which was rather boring.

It feels
like a hollow victory as I won thanks to good cards for me and bad
for him. He was playing to the theme of the event which I can't blame
him for, but I just didn't really enjoy this game. No real tactical
thinking just run. Such a shame.

If I
played this game again I would deep strike both soul grinders on the
right and hopefully get rid of that flank while the infantry dealt
with the anti-tank fire power.

So thats
the end of the first game and I am up, winning 2 games to a single
loss. Not bad.

Good job winning your second one! Maelstrom van be very unkind and thus unfun, my local gaming group has therefore also switched to ITC missions and now our games are almost always much more interesting and exciting, close up until the last turn.

Good job. I was worried when I saw the lists but you played to the mission and he had no real way of scoring objectives if the cards were unkind. Maelstrom makes take all comers lists more viable and you had the ability to move up, he didn't.